The present invention relates to a device for preventing theft of a first vehicle component, which is releasably connected to a second vehicle component. A commercial vehicle, such as a truck or bus, may comprise a diesel engine as power source and an exhaust gas aftertreatment system. The exhaust gas aftertreatment system in turn comprises different exhaust gas aftertreatment units, such as a diesel particulate filter. The first vehicle component may be formed by such a diesel particulate filter.
The diesel particulate filter is often arranged within a container for a muffler (sound dampening unit). The second vehicle component mentioned above may therefore be formed by such a muffler container. The muffler container is in turn attached to a frame member of the commercial vehicle.
The primary function of a diesel particulate filter is to collect (filtering) soot and oxidise (burn) it. In order to enhance that soot oxidation many filters are coated with a catalytic coating that contains considerable amounts of precious metals such as platinum and palladium, which are expensive metals. Further, the process to manufacture the filter itself is fairly complicated, resulting in that the diesel particulate filter adds up to be a fairly costly component.
Due to that the diesel particulate filter also collects inorganic products, usually called ash, it has to be regularly serviced and is therefore arranged in a way that it is easy to dismount and replace. Especially, the diesel particulate filter may have a cylindrical shape and be received in a correspondingly shaped recess in the muffler container. The muffler container is in turn attached to a frame member of the commercial vehicle so that the diesel particulate filter may be released from the muffler container and withdrawn from the muffler container while the muffler container is attached to the vehicle frame. The muffler container may be attached to the vehicle so that the diesel particulate filter is accessible from a side of the vehicle and may be withdrawn in a transverse direction in relation to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
On some designs, it will only take a few minutes with normal hand tools to dismount a filter insert from a parked vehicle. The weight is only around 15 kg and possible to carry away fairly easy. The muffler may weigh around 150 kg, making it harder to remove and carry away from the vehicle.
Due to the fact that the diesel particulate filter is a valuable component, which is very easy to dismount, there is a desire to achieve a device for preventing theft of the diesel particulate filter.
It is desirable to achieve a device for preventing theft of a first vehicle component (such as the diesel particulate filter), which is releasably connected to a second vehicle component (such as a muffler), which device is cost-efficient and easily operated by a service technician by means of relevant tools.
According to a first aspect of the invention, the theft preventing device comprises a cover member configured for obstructing removal of said first component from said second component and a locking member, which is configured for locking the cover member or the second component in an operational position in which the cover member obstructs said removal of said first component from said second component.
Thus, the cover member obstructs removal of said first component from said second component when arranged in its intended operational position. In other words, even if someone would manage to release said first component from said second component, a physical separation of said first and second components is obstructed.
According to a preferred embodiment, the cover member comprises a material, which is sufficiently hard for substantially withstanding impact by a foreign object. The cover member being “sufficiently hard for substantially withstanding impact by a foreign object” should be interpreted in the light of the purpose of the invention is preventing theft. Thus, “sufficiently hard” should be interpreted as substantially non-deformable by means of a handheld tool, such as a crow bar or other elongated object, which may be used by a person for hitting/bending the cover member. Such a design makes it difficult to damage/displace the cover member enough for removing the first vehicle component. Preferably, said material may be hardened steel.
Preferably, the cover member is in its entirety formed by said material, which is sufficiently hard for substantially withstanding impact by a foreign object.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the locking member comprises an individual engagement pattern configured for mating only with a corresponding engagement pattern of a service tool. Such a design makes it substantially more difficult to operate the locking member for unlocking the cover member without the associated service key/adapter tool.
Preferably, the locking member comprises a bolt of the wheel lock bolt type with an individual engagement pattern. Such wheel lock bolts are known for locking a wheel to a wheel hub within the automotive industry and thereby deter theft of the wheel.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the locking member is configured for fastening the cover member to the second vehicle component in said operational position. Preferably, the second vehicle component is configured for said fastening, for example via a threaded opening for engagement with a locking bolt forming the locking member. Said threaded opening is preferably positioned in the vicinity of the operational position of the first vehicle component so that an extension of the cover member between the locking bolt and the first component is minimized.
According to a conventional design, the second component comprises an opening for receiving the first component and wherein the first component is configured for withdrawal from the second component in a first direction via said opening. According to an embodiment adapted for that conventional design, the cover member is configured for obstructing withdrawal of the first component from the second component. Since such an opening normally has a closed bottom, the first component is positioned in the opening via linear movement towards its intended position and withdrawn from its intended position via a linear movement in the opposite direction. By designing the cover member for obstructing said withdrawal and attaching the cover member such that said withdrawal is blocked, theft of the first vehicle component is deterred.
The first component, when formed by a diesel particulate filter, normally has a circular-cylindrical shape and is received in said opening of a corresponding shape and dimension in the second component, when formed by a muffler container.
According to the conventional design, the first component comprises a flange at least partly surrounding the first component. The second vehicle component is then provided with a corresponding flanges for connection of the two vehicle components. According to an embodiment adapted for that conventional design, the cover is configured to at least partly overlap the flange for obstructing said withdrawal of the first component in said first direction.
Preferably, the cover member has a shape that matches a part of the exterior of the first vehicle component. Further, the cover member extends only around a portion of the first vehicle component, wherein the portion is less than 180 degrees, and specifically less than 90 degrees.
According to the conventional design, the first component is fastened to the second component in an operational position via a fastener. According to an embodiment adapted for that conventional design the locking member is configured for locking the cover member for obstructing access for releasing said fastener. Thus, the cover member is designed for both obstructing access to the fastener and for obstructing release of the first component from the second component. For example, the first component may be fastened to the second component in an operational position via a flexible clamping ring, wherein the fastener, in the form of a screw, is configured for tightening the ring. The clamping ring is normally configured to clamp the first component to the second component via flanges extending from the vehicle components.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the cover member comprises a first plate shaped portion, which is configured for obstructing removal of said first component from said second component. This design creates conditions for a cost-efficient production, wherein a metal sheet may be used for forming the cover member.
According to a further development of the last-mentioned embodiment, the cover member comprises a second plate shaped portion, which is formed in a one-piece unit with the first plate-shaped portion, wherein the first and second plate shaped portions extend in different directions, and that the second portion is configured for obstructing access to said fastener. This design may be achieved via cutting a metal sheet material to a desired shape and then bending the metal sheet to form the cover member.